Arts Corps
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Arts Corps mission is to revolutionize arts education by igniting the creative power of young people through culturally engaging learning experiences.
- Income
- $1.1 million
- Spending
- $1.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 52%
- Reserves
- 12.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 37
- Volunteers
- 13
- Highest pay
- $99,692, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 33% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 61% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1552% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 28 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (6)
- $340,803 spent. This is a lump sum amount for all other program services, including multiple small additional programs.
- $158,410 spent. Out of School Time Programming (OST): Arts Corps provides a network of arts learning opportunities throughout the region through long-standing partnerships with elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as community centers and residential sites to deliver out-of-school arts programming. Our out-of-school arts program places teaching artists at partner sites for after-school classes in a specific art form, such as Capoeira, theatre, visual arts, or poetry.
- $136,055 spent. Interagency Programs: Arts Corps Interagency Residencies bring arts classes to students at five Interagency Academy sites. This network of small alternative high schools, which are part of the Seattle Public School (SPS) District, are designed to provide extra support for students who have not found success at traditional schools due to a wide range of factors.
- $120,079 spent. New Futures: Arts Corps partners with Southwest Youth & Family Services for their expanded learning program, New Futures. The program focuses on: 1. Academic support for students in grades 1- 12 to help build skills needed for school success, and typically includes literacy and math tutoring, homework help, English Language Learner (ELL) services; 2. Enrichment activities such as arts, STEM, outdoor recreation, and field trips that increase access to opportunities while promoting social-emotional learning; 3. Youth development activities in which youth take on leadership roles in program planning, community service, and tutoring; 4. Family advocacy in which a dedicated Advocate works with families to meet their needs in areas such as translation, transportation, breaking down institutional barriers, and engaging in their childrens education. As part of the programs enrichment, Arts Corps offers 2 onsite arts classes per site every quarter during the school year, and 2-week intensive classes during the summer. The classes span a broad range of creative disciplines including dance, visual arts, theatre, music, and digital media arts, and they develop artistry, leadership, and other essential skills such as critical thinking, imagination, collaboration, creativity, and cultivate a growth mindset among youth participants. The New Futures holistic, place-based model allows Arts Corps to nurture meaningful connections with young people and their families. The program is part of Schools Out Washingtons Best Start for Kids.
- $22,268 spent. Creative Schools: The Creative Schools Programs places teaching artists in schools for in-depth arts integration residencies on a specific unit of study in order to foster deep relationships and student learning. These intensive arts integration residencies are aimed at addressing disparities in access to arts education in schools. Teaching artists collaborate with classroom teachers to build artistic skills and creativity while making connections to and strengthening academic learning and contributing to a classroom environment that fosters young peoples sense of belonging and learning mindsets. The teaching artist and the classroom teacher work in partnership during school hours to develop and deliver a creative project that can integrate into a subject areas unit of study.
- $7,580 spent. Art 4 Life: The Art 4 Life program addresses the need for all youth to have access to arts education career pathways by immersing teens ages 13-19 in a paid 1- to 2-weeks-long arts intensive. The foundation of the program is liberatory pedagogy which is inclusive of a culturally relevant curriculum, engaging youth voice, and valuing multiple perspectives.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2026.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2000.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.